Employability remains a significant challenge for today’s youth, especially in our country.
This year’s event theme is “Youth Skills for Peace and Development,” which emphasizes youth’s integral role in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
Each year on July 15, the world comes together to celebrate World Youth Skills Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the importance of equipping young people with the skills they need to thrive in the workforce and contribute to their communities.
On Monday, July 15, we will observe the World Youth Skills Day 2024. This year’s event theme is “Youth Skills for Peace and Development,” which emphasizes youth’s integral role in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
In an ever-evolving global economy, the gap between the skills required by employers and those possessed by job seekers continues to widen, making this day more significant than ever.
In recognition of World Youth Skills Day, we would like to bring to your attention insightful quotes from industry leaders. These quotes focus on the urgent need to enhance employability among youth by bridging the gap between academic learning and industry requirements.
Chetan Jain, Founding Executive Director and Managing Director, Inspira Enterprise: At Inspira, we proudly celebrate the incredible potential of our youth, particularly in the cybersecurity domain. The shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals is a significant challenge for organizations today. As cyber threats grow more sophisticated, targeting businesses more than ever, organizations must develop programs that offer mentoring in cybersecurity for youth. These initiatives will also encourage them to pursue a career in cybersecurity. As our society increasingly relies on technology, empowering our youth with cybersecurity skills is essential to safeguarding our digital world and ensuring a resilient digital future. Furthermore, integrating GenAI into youth cybersecurity training is pivotal for preparing the next generation of cyberdefenders.
Rajarshi Bhattacharyya, Co-Founder, Chairman, and Managing Director, ProcessIT Global: “It is essential to recognize that today’s young minds will be the guardians of tomorrow’s digital landscapes. Equipping them with the necessary knowledge, tools, and skill sets is crucial, as they lead us toward a safer and more secure digital world. Public-private partnerships are vital in preparing our youth to handle the diverse challenges of the digital era. Through these collaborations, we can build a resilient workforce capable of protecting our digital future. At ProcessIT Global, we encourage collaboration among industry, academia, and government agencies to establish large-scale cybersecurity awareness initiatives. By launching programs aimed at producing highly skilled cybersecurity professionals, we can address the existing skill shortages in the domain and ensure a secure digital landscape for generations to come.”
Chinmay Hegde, Co-Founder, CEO, and Managing Director, Astrikos.ai: “Employability remains a significant challenge for today’s youth, especially in our country. As the job market evolves, many graduates struggle to acquire the necessary skills and experience. To address this, partnerships between industry and academia are crucial, and Astikos.ai is already making a significant impact. Establishing centers of excellence and hands-on living labs is essential. Practical experience bridges the gap between theoretical learning and real-world application, enhancing students’ skills and competencies. Inclusive internship development programs ensure that every young person gains valuable industry experience and builds professional networks. On World Youth Skills Day, we at Astrikos.ai emphasize the importance of hands-on living labs and fine-tuning curricula with modern skill sets, aligning educational programs with industry demands to prepare graduates for successful careers. Government incentives should support these industry-academia collaborations.”
Seshadri Venkatachalapathi, Digital Campus Lead, BT Group: “In a rapidly changing job market, empowering youth with the right skills has never been more crucial. As we mark World Youth Skills Day 2024, the theme “Youth Skills for Peace and Development” calls upon us to recognize the untapped potential of young people as agents of positive change. Digital at BT Group is committed to this cause. By equipping the next generation with a holistic skill set that encompasses all manner of skills, from AI to professional development to leading inclusively, we can foster a better workplace and culture. Our pledge to grow our team in India by the end of 2024 is more than a business goal; it’s an investment in the architects of tomorrow.
Through upskilling initiatives and promoting digital leadership, we’re preparing youth for the jobs of the future while also creating a workplace that values work-life balance, diversity, and inclusion. We have accelerated the modernization of the learning experience across BT Group, partnering with Degreed to deliver Digital Campus, a new intuitive, personalized learning experience enabling an anytime, anywhere opportunity for colleagues. This helps build a culture where learning becomes a habit for everyone with videos, courses, articles, and podcasts. It also connects colleagues, enabling social learning and the sharing of resources and expertise across the business.
As we celebrate the power of skills to drive development, we are nurturing the changemakers of tomorrow and building a future where every young person can thrive. On this World Youth Skills Day, let’s renew our commitment to empowering youth, because when they succeed, we all succeed.”
Anjali Sharma, Associate Vice President and Global Head of L&D, Fulcrum Digital: “The rapid pace of adoption of artificial intelligence among Indian enterprises is transforming industries. In response to this AI boom, more and more tech industry players are shifting their focus towards deep-tech skilling, as the demand for AI professionals is expected to reach 1 million by 2026. However, we are also expected to face a 60%–73% demand-supply gap in key roles such as ML engineers, data scientists, DevOps engineers, and data architects.
In order to continue the momentum of the country’s progress in AI adoption, enterprises have a significant role to play by leveraging innovative L&D technologies. New-age tools like gamification, simulations, AI-driven personalized learning pathways, and more make training engaging and practical, aligning closely with real-world applications. These methods ensure our future workforce is not only skilled but also agile and adaptable.
The government, too, has a crucial role in fostering a supportive ecosystem for skill development. This includes accessible training programs, incentives for educational and industry partnerships, and promoting a culture of continuous learning and upskilling.
On World Youth Skills Day, we are committing to empower our youth to lead India’s digital future and maintain our competitive edge globally.”
Vasanthi Ramesh, VP – Engineering, NetApp India: As the importance of data management increases across industries, the need for the next generation to understand and utilize data efficiently is becoming essential. At NetApp, we recognize the importance of equipping young people with data analytics skills in today’s digital world. Our Data Explorers program bridges the digital divide by partnering with leading STEM and youth development NGOs to provide essential data skills to young individuals, especially in underserved communities. This initiative prepares them for a competitive, data-driven world and empowers them to address and solve pressing global challenges.
By focusing on data literacy, we are preparing the next generation to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital economy and enabling them to contribute meaningfully to innovation and societal progress.
Juveri Mukherjee, Global Head – HR, Aurionpro Solutions: Nurturing AI and machine learning skills among our youth is critical for building a dynamic, future-ready workforce. These technologies are reshaping businesses and creating new roles. By investing in young talent and providing opportunities to develop these skills, we are not only fulfilling our manpower requirements; we are also cultivating innovators who will drive our organizations forward. Our role extends beyond talent acquisition; we must actively partner with educational institutions and create robust training programs to bridge the skills gap. This approach ensures a pipeline of skilled professionals and instantly fosters a culture of continuous learning and adaptability, essential in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape.
Lakshmi Mittra, SVP and Head of Clover Academy: As we celebrate World Youth Skills Day, it’s inspiring to see how customers, individuals, and the global community are embracing the technological revolution. Companies are adopting AI at an unprecedented rate, highlighting the critical need for continuous training and upskilling in these cutting-edge technologies. At Clover Academy, we are committed to equipping our youth with the skills required to be future-ready and to drive the profitability and innovation of the companies they will lead. By fostering a culture of learning and adaptability, we are not only preparing the next generation for success but also shaping a more resilient and prosperous future for all.
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